I got pictures of the proud families after the middle school chorus concert this week.

We got the picture of the Yarbroughs in front of the backdrop that Mason helped paint.

This past Saturday we were in Hiawassee, GA, for our Smith Family Gathering, with all of Poppie’s family.  This is the annual cousin photo – in chronological order.  Our numbers were a little short this year – this is exactly half of us, by my count – but it was so, so good to spend time together.  No one wanted to leave when it was over – we all just kept on & on hanging around.  Precious times.

Last night we were at the middle school to watch Clara and Mason perform in their Chorus Christmas Concert. It was in the gym – we’re not sure why they aren’t back at the auditorium performing, but there you have it – so the acoustics were pretty bad, and we could not see Mason for a single moment while he was performing, but did manage to get the picture of him while he was seated (on the very back row) and waiting his turn with the other sixth graders to sing.

Clara, on the other hand, was right in front of us in the eighth grade chorus, so I could get great shots of her 🙂

Today my buddies and I headed to the mountains to celebrate Christmas together. Charlotte drove, & Pam, Evelyn, Sherry, & I rode with her to meet Becky at Sloop Chapel at the Crossnore School. We had been to see several of Ben Long’s frescoes back in the fall for a birthday celebration, and today added another one to the list of ones we have seen. The chapel was beautiful, and the fresco wasn’t the only lovely thing there. I loved the banner hanging on the wall.

From there we traveled to Becky’s house in Elizabethton, TN, to have our Christmas lunch and party. Becky is such a great hostess, and her house was decorated so beautifully. Wonderful time being together.

After Adam tried football for the first time this year and enjoyed it so much, after that season was over he decided to do the same with wrestling. Last week was his first match, but he’d missed a couple of weeks of practice after he pulled a muscle in practice, so he didn’t actually get to compete. I’d never been to a wrestling match before, so I had a hard time figuring out what was going on, but it was exciting. I got this picture of him just before we headed out.

An old high school friend of Jeff’s, Debbie, has retired to South Carolina to be near her daughter & family. She’s in Sumter, a couple of hours south of here, and has driven up several times to spend time with us. Last week she & I went to do a little shopping & out to eat lunch, and then I got this picture of her & Jeff before she hit the road for home. Fun times.

…was also Youth Sunday at church, and Clara gave the reading during the lighting of the Advent candle.

Such a fun day last Saturday when we had our traditional Family Christmas the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Everyone was so happy to get a chance to play with our youngest family member, 8-month-old Frankie – hanging out here with her cousin Addie 🙂

This past Saturday was our annual Smith Family Christmas gathering. It was as fun as always. We all loved having time to bond with new baby Frankie. Here is Addie having her turn 🙂